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anth
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2006 04:07
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Water flowing on Mars today!?
What a parting legacy for the Mars Global Serveyor ( MGS ) ! The veteran spacecraft recently lost in Mars orbit.
Proof of water flowing? One things for sure, Mars is active, and if this is not water, then what is it?
A historic find a few years ago by MGS of Martian gullies was extremely interesting. They seem to show fresh, new features carved into cliff sides. Simular to water carved gullies on Earth.
With a spacecraft like MGS being at Mars for a extended length of time, one of the advantages is you can go back and re-look at many features again and again. Of course if the gullies were as "new" as they appeared, or these cliffsides were as active as some stated, then logically there should be some changes when MGS pointed its camera's back at them.
I knew there was some rumblings of a huge discovery on Mars by MGS. So, i've been waiting on this press release for a while.
So, here's what all the fuss is about....
The light-colored area in this image shows recent gully activity on the surface of Mars
These Striking new images of the Red Planet have raised hopes life could be found on Mars after all.
Scientists say they have photographic evidence that suggests liquid water may have been on the planet as little as five years ago.
Experts last night said Mars now appears more active than previously thought and the latest study shows why it is vital to continue to search for life on our planetary neighbour.
The first images of Mars' surface were taken in the 1960s and they suggested it was a dusty, cratered world rather like our Moon.
Now a new set of photographs has suggested that liquid water may have flowed on the planet a mere five years ago.
The discovery resulted from images taken by the Mars Global Surveyor which first recorded gullies and trenches that could have been made by fast-flowing water coursing down cliffs and crater walls.
Scientists in the USA decided to retake images of the gullies to search for any sign of recent activity.
Two of those originally photographed in 1999 and 2001 then photographed again in 2004 and 2005 showed changes consistent with water having flowed down the side of the crater. The discovery was made by scientists at the San Diego-based Malin Space Systems which operated a camera aboard the spacecraft.
Writing in the journal Science, the researchers led by Michael Malin said the properties and settings of the deposits in the gullies are consistent with water flow.
Expert Bruce Jakosky, of the University of Colorado at Boulder, said the study "underscores the importance of searching for life on Mars, either present or past.
"It's one more reason to think that life could be there," he added.
However Oded Aharonson of the California Institute of Technology urged caution over the findings.
He said the interpretation of the images as water activity was 'compelling' but only one explanation.
Until now the question of liquid water has mainly focused on ancient Mars and on the Martian north pole, where water ice has been detected.
Water along with a stable source of heat is essential for life to emerge.
Mars formed more than 4.5 billion years ago and scientists generally believe it went through an early wet and warm era that ended after 1.5 billion to 2.5 billion years, leaving the planet extremely dry and cold.
Water cannot remain a liquid for long because of subzero surface temperatures and low atmospheric pressure that would turn water into ice or gas.
But some studies have pointed to the possibility of liquid water flowing briefly on the surface through a possible underground water source that periodically shoots up.
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demonvamp
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2006 09:01
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Still not entirely convinced, I know they state it flows like water but then so does milk, and it may simply be a leak from the Gloompy whallop milking factory of Mars....
Anyway, until they land and go 'water' or drive a rover into a puddle, I'll remain open minded 
QD
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anth
Member
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2006 14:39
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Well, these gully water events, if that is what they are, would happen quickly, they would have to. Water on Mars, on the surface that is, would boil away very quickly due to the very low air pessure.
( the same way it takes less time to make a cup of tea ontop of Everest!  )
However, i would expect them to leave a frosty deposit behind, on the freezing surface. Just like we see here.
We know there is water in the Martian poles, we know there is water ice in frozen crater floors. That is confirmed 100% by numerous space craft now, also both Mars Rovers have detectd signs of an ancient watery past at both Rover exploration sites.
It's no suprise to me if liquid water is present. The big question is, is mars being heated still from underground, allowing water ice to melt though? Then flood out to the surface?
Steep crater walls, which have been exposed literally by having an impact event smash into the ground, would be a prime candidate for freeing up an underground Martian water table.
Flowing water makes life more likely i would say. But frozen water does not rule it out either. So, even if this pans out to be nothing ( which i doubt ) its no set back for martian biology.
Organisms on Earth live quite happily in far worse conditions than those on Mars.
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demonvamp
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2006 15:46
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<!--QuoteBegin--anth+Dec. 07 2006,14:39--></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td><b>Quote</b> (anth @ Dec. 07 2006,14:39)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"><!--QuoteEBegin-->Organisms on Earth live quite happily in far worse conditions than those on Mars.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--><br>You've been in my house then <!--emo&:D--><img src="http://www.outpost10f.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/haw.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':D'><!--endemo--> <br><br>QD
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anth
Member
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2006 17:33
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*LMAO*
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babel
Member
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# Posted: 10 Dec 2006 06:32
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When I saw the pictures in the newspaper I nearly jumped uot of my seat. This is phenomally important and for me underlines the urgent need to get manned misions to Mars.
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anth
Member
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# Posted: 10 Dec 2006 07:53
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You're quite right Babel.
I am full of praise for the robotic missions sent to Mars. They are an engineering, and technical feat. However. As great as they are, the Mars Rovers have travelled a hand full of miles in just over a 1000 days. Their camera's as good as they are, will never be as good as a human eye.
I'm quite confident that a human party could achieve more in one day on Mars than every robotic mission to the Martian surface ever has. A human is going to maybe spot something out the corner of his eye even, turn a rock over and possibly make the greatest find of all time. Where as a rover would most probably trundle on past the same rock.
I'm excited about NASA's push for the Moon, but when all is said and done, its a dead world. I believe Mars should be the next destination, then technology used for manned Mars missions could then easily be used on the Moon later on.
A manned Mars mission would require less fuel than a Moon mission, and practically the same hard ware. It would of course be a longer duration mission. But the scientific payback would be so much higher than the Moon, which for me means better value for money.
I've shifted my opinion between Robots and Humans in terms of solar system exploration. Recently i came down on the side of robots, for safet reasons.
But times change. There now seems to be a willingness to fund a manned space exploration program once again. With this being the case, i say, do the work needed on radiation exposure, and lets land humans on Mars!
I am a firm believer that human beings are explorers, we like to soak up knowledge and to see whats over the horizon, we are inquisitive by nature. Take that away and we stagnate. Or find other things to do, such as fighting each other, and other stupid things.
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rolly
Member
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# Posted: 10 Dec 2006 19:37
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i always new there was water on mars :Dnext they will prove that there is signs of marine life organisms  frozen and fossilized but it will exist
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